USA > Wisconsin > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform] > Part 48
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The town of Jefferson has from its earliest organization. 1855-1858, to the present time progressed in its farming and dairy interests. and its people have kept abreast of the other towns in the county. It is now considered one of the best towns
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in Monroe county, having in its domain the village of Melvina, with its schools and church, the magnificent church of St. Mary's, a parochial school and district schools; and Pine Hallow, with St. Peter's and St. Paul's church and its parochial school, and district schools, and also two more schools of modern styles, mak- ing in all eight schools. The population is over eleven hundred. Two lumber yards and a mill at Melvina, and various industries now existing at the village of Cashton comprising the many im- provements ; the people are active and industrious.
At this time only two of the earliest settlers survive, Henry HI. Cremer and Quirin Schreier: the rest have gone to their long reward, so that many doubtless interesting incidents of the hard- ships and trials of those carly pioneers are forever lost. Its present officers are William Heiser, chairman; R. Bruggeman and W. Mullenberg, supervisors; II. J. Willgrub, clerk; Frank W. Schreier, treasurer, and Peter Jost, assessor.
CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY OF ST. MARY'S.
This, the oldest religious community in the county of Monroe. was founded in the fall of 1856 by ten immigrant families from Germany. They were at the same time the first settlers of what is known as St. Mary's ridge, in the towns of Jefferson, Wells, and Sheldon. Their names are: John Schreier and family. Peter Sehreier, Herman Schreier, Quiram Schreier, Louis Schot- ten, Fred Gross. Herman Baus and family. Hilary Karis and family, Peter Michels and family, Math. Butzler and family, Ger- hard Butzler, Philip Beckler and Jacob Nelles. Mr. Peter Schreier was the first to arrive on the ridge and having explored the surroundings called the rest of his friends in the fall of 1856. The year following fifteen more families from the fatherland in- creased the young colony. Among these were Peter Schiefer, Hilary Schotten. Peter Gross, Herman Wacker, Casper Schieffer, Herman Flock, Henry Schmitz, Casper Schmitz, John Schaaf, Martin Jungferndorf. William Brueggen, Adam Kohlgraf. John Gross and Christ Brueggen. These settlers were nearly all from the shores of the Rhine. The first ground was donated to this congregation by Caspar Schieffer. It forms the present St. Mary's cemetery, where nearly all these old settlers were finally laid to rest. The first burial. Mrs. Peter Gross, took place July 7, 1857. The first religious services were held under the open sky. Rev. Henry Tappert, at the time the only Catholic priest in LaCrosse, took charge of this new community as a mission, traveling the distance of forty miles with a team of oxen. at
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regular intervals. First Catholic services were conducted in Monroe county here on the ridge by Rev. Tappert in the home of Ililary Schotten, the present home of Mr. Godfry Butzler, 1857. The first Catholic church built in Monroe county was the log church built by the farmers at St. Mary's, twenty by thirty feet, and this developed to be the center of Catholic worship for all the different nationalities. The oldest church record existing dates from the year 1858, kept by Peter Gross, and enumerates thirty-nine families.
In the year 1860 the postoffice was started at St. Mary's. The first incumbent United States postmaster was Casper Schmitz.
In 1861 Rt. Rev. Michael Henni, bishop of Milwaukee, vis- ited the Catholics in Monroe county at St. Mary's for the first time.
The year 1862 mentions in the church records the arrival of the first Irish Catholic settlers in this locality, James Murphy, Thomas Sullivan, B. MeDermit, and P. Haney. In 1868 the little church had outgrown the increasing community and seventy- six families registered to support the erection of a new church. The same was built in 1869 at a cost of $3,200. The Rev. S. Flor- entine was the first resident Catholic priest in Monroe county. Hle was succeeded by Rev. Michael Heiss. All of Monroe county was under his administration and the records here mention births and baptisms from all over the county. A document dating from the year 1868 records in most solemn words, the dedication and consecration of two church bells. Rev. Herman Gross, a man of exceptional talents and deep piety, was Rev. Michael Heiss's successor. He organized from St. Mary's the present congrega- tion of Bad Ax, in Vernon county. The congregation at Cashton and Pine Hollow was also branched off from St. Mary's at this time.
A mission was held here. Catholic revival. by the then well- known Rev. Becker, S. J., and later on by the old pioneers, Revs. Port and Newbrand, S. J .. in 1879 and 1890. Rev. Willibald Ilackner had charge of St. Mary's twice. Among the other well- known pastors are to be mentioned Revs. John G. Laurer, J. M. Wicker, J. J. Meyer. Willibald Mahowald. O. S. B. This congrega- tion was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin, December 24, 1883. Our church records mention the founding of Norwalk in 1873 and report that the place was first called Dover. ( ?) Mr. Quirin Schreier, an old settler, taking the census in 1880 mentions that Cashton was a town of forty-one souls. The first Catholic school at St. Mary's was conducted by Mr. Quirin
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Schreier. The present substantial stone school building was erected in 1889. The graded school of eight grades is conducted by the Sisters of St. Francis, from LaCrosse, and frequented by 130 children. It is heated by steam and is a free school. The present St. Mary's church, unquestionably one of the most stately houses of worship in the county, was built in 1897 by Mr. Henry Roettiger, a well-known contractor, of Fountain City. The build- ing measures 122x50 feet. with a tower of 140 feet. It is con- strneted of stone and cream brick and conforms to the old gothic style. The church is heated by steam. The furniture. its altars, pulpit. etc., are productions of the E. Hackner Co., of LaCrosse. Wis. The fresco painting and two original ten by fourteen feet large scriptural oil paintings complete the build- ing. This church, though far in the country. is visited by many strangers and has drawn forth much wonder and admiration. The building was twice damaged by lightning, and consequently is now also protected by the latest approved rods. It is esti- mated to represent a present valuation of about $50.000.
Since 1904 Rev. John Kaiser is the pastor. He is assisted by Mr. Il. M. Flock, present chairman, of Ridgeville, and Mr. Fred Degenhardt. as trustee. The congregation numbers 140 families ; 110 of same are Germans and the remainder are of Irish descent. Services are given every Sunday in both languages. The com- mumity increases annually by an average birth minber of 30. against which there are about six to ten funerals. The congre- gation owns about seven acres of land whereon its church, par- sonage, teachers' residence and school house are placed. All the buildings have modern improvements and are substantially built. The members of St. Mary's church are frugal, industrious, charitable, healthy and God-fearing. and consequently happy and abundantly blessed.
REV. JOHN KAISER.
SS. PETER AND PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
PINE HOLLOW.
The first meeting in order to start SS. Peter and Paul's con- gregation was held at the old home of Mr. Henry II. Cremer. December 14. 1867. The pioneers who took part in organizing the parish were the following: Henry II. Cremer, Peter Heintz. Michael Berens. Bernard Leis. Peter Basenach, Matt Henitz. Jo- soph Koessler. Peter Krall, Anthony Schmelzer. Peter Bredel, Henry Bergs, Peter Hansen, Adrian Miller, Adam Mihlbaner.
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Simon Betz, Gerard Butzler, and Peter Klinkner. These seven- teen men went to work and built a frame church on the same place where we find the cemetery-chapel today. In this church the services were held for about seven years. On June 24, 1875, a cyclone took the building from its foundation, leaving a pile of ruins. By that time the number of families had become forty and these forty at once started a new church at the place donated to the congregation by Mr. Henry Bergs. The church was built of stone, as one of the old members remarked at the time: "One of rock on rock so no wind can blow it down again." This building was enlarged in the year 1896, so by this time it is 118 feet long. Until 1886 the services were conducted by the re- spective pastors of St. Mary's, five miles northeast of Pine Hollow. In 1886 a parsonage was erected. and the same year SS. Peter and Paul's congregation had its first resident pastor. namely. Rev. Anthony Havestadt, now pastor of Big River, Wis. IIe worked for the welfare of the parish till 1892, when the pres- ent pastor. Rev. Peter Schnitzler, took charge of the place. In 1893 SS. Peter and Panl's Catholic school was built, which is in charge of the Dominican Sisters of Racine. The number of pu- pils are about one hundred. While the congregation was started by seventeen members, today. September 18. 1911, we count 156 families, with 1.025 souls. The pastor, Rev. P. Sehnitzler, is also attending to St. Patrick's church in Vernon county. seven and one-half miles southeast of C'ashton.
LAGRANGE.
This town was one of the late ones in its organization, being originally a part of the town of Lincoln. It was set off by the county board November 13. 1873. and its first election held at the Dodgeville school house on the first Tuesday of April, 1874.
The history of the town is closely allied with that of Lincoln and early records cannot be obtained. It has developed into one of the wealthiest towns in the county in farming lands, and now boasts of a railroad station on the Northwestern line, constructed as the Milwaukee. Sparta and Northwestern originally, which runs through the town. It sent many men into the war of the rebellion, those who enlisted in Monroe county being given in another chapter. Within the limits of this town is situated the government Indian school, described elsewhere. From this town have come many men prominent in county affairs and to attempt to name them all in this brief outline would be too much of a task should a sketch of each be attempted. Elsewhere in
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this work will be found the lives of many of its prominent citi- zens. and these go in great part to make up the history of the town. The present officers are: W. E. Bolton, chairman; W. Houn and George Heser, supervisors: G. M. Prickett. clerk : treasurer. A. N. Getman; assessor, N. JJ. Forrest; justice, A. J. Vandervort. Population, 1.124.
TOWN OF LAFAYETTE.
The town of Lafayette was organized in the spring of 1856. being detached from the town of Angelo. The first town meet- ing was held at the residence of L. A. Farr. on section twenty- six, on the first day of April, 1856, with John Foster, Andrew Lansing and Jacob L. Sargent acting as inspectors of election. The whole number of votes cast at this election was thirty-four. resulting in the following named persons being elected the first officers of the town : Chairman. John Foster; supervisor, Andrew Lansing. A. II. Isham; clerk of town, G. B. Holden; town treas- urer. L. A. Farr; town superintendent of schools. Edward Marten ; town assessor. Leonard Phillips: justices, Jacob L. Sar- gent, Charles Dickinson, Edgar H. Eddy and Charles Wilson : constables, Roswell Smith, Amos M. Baldwin and Henry F. Dres- den ; sealer of weights and measures, Smith Austin. During the summer vacancies occurred in the offices of chairman, of town board and superintendent of schools, John Foster moving from town. W. J. Tucke was chosen at the fall election to fill out his unexpired term. and William Bush was chosen to fill out the unexpired term of Edward Masters as superintendent of schools. Masters having absconded. At the fall election of 1856 forty-six votes were cast, an increase of twelve during the summer. At the 1857 election fifty-five votes were cast ; at the town meeting of 1858. eighty-one votes were cast; at the general election of 1859. seventy-one votes were cast; at the general meeting of 1860, ninety-seven votes were cast: at the general election of 1868, ninety-eight votes were cast. In 1871 or 1872 the county board annexed to the town of LaFayette town nineteen. formerly known as the town of Eaton. To this the people of LaFayette were decidedly opposed and petitioned Mr. A. H. Isham, who was chosen chairman of the town the following year, to use his influence with the county board to get rid of that territory, the result being that at the county board meeting of 1872 or 1873 the town of New Lyme was organized. being the old town of Eaton.
WILLIAM I. BUSH
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EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In 1854 Lloyd Angle came to Monroe county from Buffalo, N. Y .. stopping for a short time in Angelo, where his brother, Dr. Seth Angle, had preceded him and had located, soon after building a saw and grist mill, but Lloyd Angle located in LaFay- ette. on section twenty-nine, on what is now known as the Sar- gent farm; in the summer of 1853 built the first farm house in the town, an excellent building for the times, which burned down a few years later. Lyman D. Roescott came from Waukesha county in 1853, and located on section twenty-eight. In 1853 Rev. William Bush came from New York state, bought the north half of section thirty-three, and in September, 1855, moved his family to their new home. The family consisted of his wife, formerly Ursula Graves, and four children, O. R., by a former wife; Mary E., William E., George W. and Nettie U., born in 1859. L. A. Farr, who came from Ohio in 1841, locating in Dane county, moved to the town of LaFayette in 1855, locating on section twenty-nine, where the town hall now stands. The fol- lowing year he became associated with John Foster in building the first sawmill in the town. This was the beginning of the village of LaFayette, or "Best Point," as it was first called. About 1857 A. A. Noyes came from Baraboo and built a grist mill at Tar Falls, on Tar Creek ; in 1857 Spicer Shaw came from New York state and built a tavern, the first hotel in town, which he opened and called the " York State llonse." A store was opened by a man named Grant and another man by the name of Ranny ; a shoe shop was started by A. H. Sonthard and a blacksmith shop by Henry Fabin.
In 1858 the Milwaukee & LaCrosse railroad was built through, going within less than a mile of the village, which was now a hummer. contractors and railroad men for a time making it their headquarters. About this time Noah Diekman com- menced the erection of a large hotel, two stories and a basement, but he was too slow, for before it was finished the boom col- lapsed and it was never occupied. It went afterwards by the name of "Noah's Ark." The York State House was for a time after that kept by Charles Diekman, who came from Sparta. During the building of the mills, stores and the railroad, and for two or three years afterward LaFayette was a busy point, but nothing now marks it except the old residence of Mr. Farr on the north bank of Tar creek. Among the early settlers was Levi St. John, coming from Rock county, Wisconsin, in 1855.
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His daughter. Emma St. John, is believed to be the first white child born in the town. H. G. Shaw arrived in 1857 with a fam- ily of six. J. C. Dana came from New York state in 1855. local- ing on section fifteen, having married Evetine P. Eddy, and before coming west two children were born to them. Milo JJ. and Edith E. Mr. Dana died in 1892. Mrs. Dana still lives in the town at the home of her grandson. Ralk E. Dana. In 1855 T. J. Rowan came to Monroe county from Ohio, for a time stopping in Big Creek valley, soon after locating in LaFayette township. In the same year there came with Rov. William Bush, Rev. Nathaniel Graves and wife, with one son. W. E., and a daughter. Olive, who afterwards married J. M. Morrow. Nathaniel Graves located on section twenty-nine and soon afterwards opened a blacksmith shop, believed to be the first one in operation in the town.
Abner HI. Isham, native of New York, came to Monroe county from Rock county in 1853. purchased 223 acres of land in section twenty-nine. then a part of Angelo, and in 1855 moved his family to his new home. Mr. Isham was a man of large qualities of heart and mind, public-spirited, generous, helpful and hopeful, a man to tie to as a friend ; a trusted public servant, as evidenced by the fact that for more than thirty-five years he was one of the superintendents of the poor of Monroe county. He was a prominent Mason and attained high honors among his brethren: a believer in Christianity and a friend and helper of every Christian and moral movement.
M. V. B. Morse, born and raised in New Hampshire, came to the town in 1856: C. N. Wright came with him from the same place and located in the town, afterwards moving to Sparta in the GO's. Soon after Mr. Morse's arrival A. II. May. his brother- in-law, came, and together they purchased 440 acres of land in Bush Prairie, and until May's death conducted this large farm under the firm name of Morse & May.
C. E. Hanchett. a native of New York, came first to the town of Angelo in 1856, buying land in LaFayette at about the same time. Here he developed a fine farm, was an up-to-date farmer and a good business man. He built the second frame barn erected in the town, William Bush, his neighbor, building the first. George E. Hanchett came at the same time as C. E. and bought land in LaFayette, and at first opened up a blacksmith shop. He developed a fine farm and entered in later years into the fruit business which his son. William IT., has continued. William II. was born and raised in the town and has acquired
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great prominence in agricultural circles. He was one of the original promoters of the Sparta Fruit Growers' Association and for many years has been its president ; established, in company with his brother-in-law. E. A. Smith. the Wisconsin Fruit Pack- ers' Company. at North Crandon: is president of the Monroe County Guernsey Breeders' Association.
Roswell Smith, so well and favorably known, who recently died, came in 1855, being here at the organization of the town. A. W. Smith, a brother. commonly known as "Gus." came first in 1855, and permanently located in the town in 1856, and at about the same time Peter Frye arrived and located.
Joseph Covey came in the spring of 1855 from Illinois, locat- ing on section thirty-three. J. J. French came to the town in the 50's. settled on section twenty-nine and opened up and developed a large farm ; was treasurer of the town during his residence there. He afterwards moved to the city of Sparta, where he resided until his death. I. W. Cooper was another early settler. coming from Connectient. buying 200 acres in section twenty- one.
Lewis D. Evans soon after emigrating to America from Wales settled in Waukesha county. remained there for seven years, moving to the town of LaFayette in 1854, buying a large traet of land in section eighteen, and by hard work and Welsh sagacity developed a fine farm. and in 1886. at the time of his death, was considered very well off. Charles T. Rhodes, orig- inally from Connecticut, having worked for a time in Chicago in the McCormick Harvester Works, came to the town in the spring of 1855, buying several large tracts of land. Chandler Dam- man came to Wisconsin from Maine in 1844. settling in Dane county, and in 1857 removing to Monroe county. locating on the farm now owned by William Heasty.
Henry R. Jones and W. P. Williams came from Wales in 1865. locating in what is known as Welsh valley. Bruce E. McCoy settled at a point where the village used to stand after- ward in 1868 and was very prominent in the development of the town from that time on. Space forbids the tracing of family histories, but this record shows that LaFayette had more than her share of good men in the early days, men who became prom- inent in county and state affairs. The town is finely developed and within its borders are many valuable small fruit farms, and it is also rich in dairying industry.
Its present officers are: J. A. Brown, chairman: Ed. Allen- dorf and Bernard Mukrenin, supervisors; C. W. Smith, clerk ;
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Albert Wyman, treasurer; A. J. Torrey, assessor; M. J. Dana, justice. Population, 387.
The first cheese factory in the town, and perhaps in the county, was established by Morse & Dunkart in 1871 or 1872.
About this time occurred what was perhaps the most remark- able flight and nesting of wild pigeons that ever occurred any- where. About six or seven miles north of LaFayette mills the pigeons nested in the "grey pines"-myriads of them. The nests were so close together that there would frequently be from fifty to one hundred nests in one tree. It is related by B. E. McCoy, then a resident of the town, that they came on a Monday morn- ing, and that the roar of their flight was as lond as the noise of a train of 100 cars on frozen ground. It was a great time for hunters and sportsmen; thousands upon thousands of them were killed or captured alive for the market, the Indians especially reaping a great harvest in the squab trade. This nesting oe- eurred for two years, the first time being right at LaFayette mills, and the next about seven miles north, as stated.
At the time the Northwestern road was built to Sparta the town raised $2,000 in bonds for aid. This was the result of a visit into the town of J. M. Morrow, George Richardson. Dr. Gage and Mr. Montgomery. who endeavored to seenre $4,000 from the town for that purpose.
In 1873, B. E. McCoy, then and for many years chairman of the town, made a notable fight on the county board, and later in the courts, over the sale of tax certificates on lands in the town. It appears that there was a very large amount of tax certificates outstanding on lands in the town which the county treasurer and clerk considered worthless, and the proposition was made at the session of the county board of that year to sell them to George Runkel, who offered ten cents on the dollar for them, and a resolution passed the board to sell at that figure. Mr. McCoy protested on behalf of the town and fought the resolution on the ground that it was poor policy, owing to probable illegalities. which might have to be made good at a considerably larger price. After the passage of the resolution formal protest was filed for LaFayette by Mr. McCoy.
A year or two after this Mr. McCoy. acting for the town. brought suit against the county to recover the face value of the tax certificates, as they had been charged back to the town and the town thus became the owner of them. The result of this liti- gation was that the county was compelled to pay to the town of
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LaFayette $1,503 for the certificates, thus vindicating the action and judgment of Mr. McCoy.
Prior to the attempt of the government to remove the Winne- bago Indians from this state to Nebraska, a council of the tribe was called by Governor Washburn to meet in the town of LaFayette. This council was held on what is now known as the Sargent place, about half a mile west of McCoy's mills. At this council there were about four hundred Winnebago Indians. Governor Washburn and the assistant secretary of war were there and conducted the negotiations with the Indians, who were subsequently taken west under the charge of Captain Hunt.
The great storm in March. 1876, did much damage in the town, and the Lafayette mill, in common with several mills of the county, was undermined and wrecked.
In 1890 the pasturage of cattle on a large scale was under- taken by B. E. McCoy and son, Colonel McCoy, on a portion of the lands now in the military reservation, a large part of which was owned by them. This was continued for several seasons with much snecess.
LEON.
The first settlement in this town, which at one time com- prised the entire county of Monroe, was made in 1851 by Ephraim Shaw, who arrived in June, 1851. He took up some land and went to farming. This farm was afterwards sold to Robert Smith, who in 1880 erected a handsome brick residence almost upon the same site where Mr. Shaw's house stood. In August, 1851, W. J. Austin arrived in Leon, taking up 1.400 acres of land, 100 acres of which he cleared the first summer. The Aus- tin holdings were the establishment of a great farm, which as years went by, was ent up into smaller farms. but was the foundation of the Austin fortune. It is related that on the fifth season of his farming operations he gathered a crop of 12,000 bushels of grain. 9.000 of which were oats, the balance wheat and corn.
On the fourteenth day of November. 1853, the village was platted and its inhabitants became convinced that it would eventually become the county seat of a new county, as it was then the only regularly platted settlement within the limits of the county, and as it developed later on the village did make a determined effort in 1854 to have the county seat located here in the bill which was before the legislature providing for the organization of Monroe county; but at that time the settlement
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